AdoptUSKids For Workers

Arkansas Foster Care and Adoption Guidelines

 

Thanks for considering becoming a caregiver for the children in the Arkansas child welfare system. Your desire to share your love and your life as a foster or adoptive parent will create permanency for children intended to last a lifetime. At any time, please feel free to contact the Arkansas Department of Human Services at 888-736-2820.

 

Things You Should Know

 

Foster and Adoption Licensing Requirements

 

Remember, you don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent for children in care.

Our mission is to keep children safe and help families. Foster homes and adoptive homes must meet the same licensing standards. For more information about licensing requirements or about the process to become a foster or adoptive parent, contact the Arkansas Department of Human Services toll-free at 888-736-2820.


 

Costs for Fostering and Adopting

 

Fostering

If you choose the Arkansas Department of Human Services as your agency, there is no fee to foster. If you choose a private agency, the private agencies are allowed to charge fees. Please ask the individual agency.

Adopting

If you choose the Arkansas Department of Human Services as your agency, there is no fee to adopt the child you have been fostering. If you choose a private agency, the private agencies are allowed to charge fees. Please ask the individual agency.

To find out if there are fees for adopting without fostering the child first, please ask the individual agency or the Department of Human Services office that you choose to work with.

When families adopt children who are in foster care and eligible for subsidy, the families may be eligible for reimbursement of limited nonrecurring adoption-related costs, such as attorney’s fees and court fees, through the child’s State and federal options.

For more information, contact the Arkansas Department of Human Services toll-free at 888-736-2820.

 

Agency Contact and Orientation Information

 

To find a public agency in your area, use this interactive map of Arkansas Department of Human Services County offices.

To find a private agency in your area, call the Arkansas Department of Human Services at 888-736-2820.

 

Parent Support Group Contacts

 
 

Information on Arkansas' Waiting Children

 

You can also contact the Child Welfare Information Gateway for information about Arkansas children in care or call 800-865-0225.

 

Upcoming Events

 

View a calendar of Arkansas’ family events. For more suggestions, please contact us at 1-800-865-0225.

Get Social

Find out about our array of free services for families and child welfare professionals.
Register with AdoptUSKids to search our database of families who are home studied and approved to adopt
Join the conversation in AdoptUSKids online communities to connect and share with families and child welfare professionals.
Read our news and announcements to learn what is new in the field of adoption and foster care.
Use our free resources to strengthen your efforts to recruit foster and adoptive families, facilitate interjurisdictional placements, and enhance your agency’s ability to provide good customer service.